A CONTROVERSIAL suggestion by Chester's Labour MP Christine Russell that more than 3,000 voters in a Tory-controlled ward should be switched out of her constituency has gone down like a lead balloon.

The idea Christleton ward should be transferred into Tory MP Stephen O'Brien's neighbouring Eddisbury constituency to even up numbers between the two parliamentary seats was put forward by Mrs Russell in April as part of a review of parliamentary constituencies in Cheshire.

But it only emerged during the summer leading to protests by parish councils in Christleton, Guilden Sutton and Littleton that they were consulted by Mrs Russell.

The level of opposition to Mrs Russell's proposal emerged this week at an inquiry held at County Hall by assistant boundary commissioner Stephen Dodds.

Mrs Russell did not attend and could not be questioned.

Evidence now being considered by Mr Dodds includes more than 60 representations by parish councils and electors in Christleton ward with apparently only one, put forward by Christopher Clayton of Brown Heath Road, Christleton, in favour of the ward moving.

Although parish councils told the Boundary Commission for England they wished to emphasise the close ties between Christleton ward and Chester, a number of residents across the ward said they believed the MP had a political motive for her proposal.

Opposing the idea, S T Anderson of Plough Lane, Christleton told the commission in a letter: 'I don't know the precise political mix of the voting population of 3,336 people that she wants to move out of Chester.

'But without being too cynical would suggest that if they were all Labour she wouldn't even dream of proposing to transfer them to another constituency and therefore this proposal is purely political to protect her majority.'

Even Labour supporter Mrs D P M Crees of Brown Heath Road, Christleton told the commission: 'I wish to register my strong protest against any proposal to exclude Christleton from the Chester ward for national elections.

'It is an ancient village and should remain as Chester. I am not a Tory voter and indeed voted for Ms Russell.'

In her submission, which is supported by the Labour Party nationally and by the party's North West Region, Mrs Russell said: 'The A55 is a physical boundary between the urban area of Chester and the rural ward of Christleton.'

She argued Christleton village has a 'close affinity' with Waverton, which is in the Eddisbury constituency, and of the four City Council wards in the County Council's Gowy Division, the other three, covering Kelsall, Tarvin and Waverton, are in Eddisbury.

Mrs Russell was represented by a top Labour Party official Greg Cook who told the inquiry: 'We believe that the inclusion of the Christleton ward in the City of Chester constituency is anomalous.

'It lies almost entirely to the east of the A55 and the Chester ring road and is a predominantly rural area separate from the city proper.

'As such it is more similar to its neighbours to the east, Barrow, Tarvin and Waverton.

'We accept that Christleton, Littleton and Guilden Sutton have ties to Chester, however we believe that the same applies to other villages surrounding the city such as Mickle Trafford and Hoole, which are in the Ellesmere Port and Neston constituency.

'If all were to be included in the City of Chester constituency then its electorate would be too large.'

Representing the views of Guilden Sutton Parish Council, Cllr Bob Armitage told the assistant commissioner the council was entirely non-political and supported the commission's provisional recommendation that Christleton ward should remain in the Chester constituency.

'We have no links at all with the Eddisbury constituency, indeed it is difficult to get there,' he suggested.

The commission's final recommendations will be published in due course.